


Hometown Boy

by bachelorgirl



Category: Dawson's Creek
Genre: M/M, final season, pre-finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-06-29
Updated: 2006-06-29
Packaged: 2017-10-14 17:42:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/151807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bachelorgirl/pseuds/bachelorgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years passed before everyone was brought back to Capeside because of a tragedy. Surely *something* happened in the intervening five years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hometown Boy

**I.**

 _‘There’s no place like home.’_

Jack tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited for the car coming towards him to make its way through the intersection.

 _‘There’s no place like home’_

As he turned his car around the corner, Jack closed his eyes – just for a moment.

 _‘There’s no place like —‘_

When he opened his eyes, the familiar blue and white sign – more greyish than blue in the dim light of dawn – came into view, just as he had been expecting.

The last word slipped out from between his lips, partly whispered and mostly sighed.

“Home.”

Jack took a big breath in as he glanced into his rear-view mirror and saw the piles of boxes and suitcases that were completely obscuring the view out of his rear window. Slowing down just a little, Jack read aloud the words on the sign that he might have maybe just a little bit hoped that he’d only ever see again as a visitor.

“Welcome to Capeside.”

He paused, remembering the first time he’d seen this sign; 8 years that felt like several lifetimes ago.

“Again.”

It was just barely on the acceptable side of the ass crack of dawn when Jack pulled up to The Ice House. He was starving, had to pee like he’d been sucking back coffee for the last 14 hours, and he figured now was as good of a time as any to reacquaint himself with the life he thought he’d left behind.

He made his way around the building to the back entrance of the restaurant. As he worried his lower lip between his teeth and peered through the window, Jack saw Pacey leaning over a large wooden crate. Watching Pacey dig through a mountain of ice, it was as though no time had passed at all and Jack felt the pit in his stomach disappear almost instantly.

Jack pushed at the slightly ajar door. He cleared his throat silently and poked his head through the crack. “You wouldn’t happen to know anywhere Capeside’s least-favourite wayward son could grab some breakfast before the ghosts of his past come back to haunt him in the flesh?”

Pacey looked up, slightly confused, and broke out into a grin when their eyes made contact. “You’re back!”

Jack smiled a shy smile. “Guilty as charged, I’m afraid.”

Pacey stood up, wiping his hands on his apron.

“I might’ve heard a nasty rumour to that effect from a source that shall remain nameless,” Pacey grinned as he closed the space between them. “Welcome back, man.”

When he felt Pacey’s arms tighten around him, Jack was momentarily stunned, but relaxed and grinned devilishly as he wrapped his arms around Pacey. “Awww, man. I didn’t know you cared. And, it’s fine. I told Jen she could tell you.”

Pacey pulled back with one final squeeze and a soft laugh. “Not that I’m not thrilled to see you, but I gotta ask. Why the hell are you getting into town at nothing o’clock in the morning?”

“Once I started driving, I kinda just had to keep going. I was afraid that if I stopped to sleep, I would have turned around and headed back the way I came,” Jack found himself admitting, much to his own surprise. “So… um. How’s the restaurant biz treating you these days?”

Pacey looked like he was about to say something, but stopped himself before the words escaped. “She waits for no man,” Pacey said with a smile, walking over to the large stainless steel refrigerator. “A cruel mistress.”

He handed Jack the plastic-covered bowl that he pulled out of the fridge. “Fruit salad. And, coffee’s around the corner on the counter. I put the pot on about a half hour ago, so it shouldn’t be complete sludge, yet. OJ’s in the fridge and help yourself to whatever, man. I gotta get these fish unpacked before the ice melts and they come back to life and start swimming around in the crate. But, please, hang out. Help yourself to whatever. You can’t have anywhere else to go at this time of day.” He smiled as he bent back over the crate, digging through the ice again.

“Actually….” Jack shuffled his feet as he let his voice trail off.

Pacey looked up at him, eyebrows raised.

“Umm…” Jack smiled. “Bathroom?”

Pacey laughed and motioned with his head. “Right where you left it.”

For the next half hour, Jack sat on the counter drinking orange juice and stabbing large pieces of homemade fruit salad with a barbeque skewer while Pacey hummed to himself and got the restaurant ready for the day. _His_ restaurant.

Jack tried not to think about how long it’d been since he’d been back in town. The actual number of days, weeks and months didn’t matter. The answer was still ‘too long’ and ‘not long enough’, all at the same time. Jack also tried not to think about how long it had been since he’d _really_ caught up with anyone who wasn’t Jen.

Time had been good to Pacey. He looked older and maybe even a little bit wiser. A bit softer around the edges, something he’d noticed when he’d been greeted so enthusiastically and there was more to grab onto than he remembered. He looked comfortable and it suited him. He looked like he fit into his life.

Jack adjusted the collar on his shirt, shifted a little where he sat, kicked the cupboard doors lightly with his heels and stabbed another piece of cantaloupe.

\-- * -- * -- * -- * --

 **II.**

Jack grinned as he stuck his head through the opening in the doorway. “Morning, sunshine.”

Pacey rolled his eyes and tossed a dishtowel at Jack’s head. “Couldn’t you at least shower before dragging your sorry ass into my kitchen every morning, expecting me to feed you?”

Jack smiled as he wandered into the kitchen. “But, then I’d have to go home after my run and I might talk myself into making breakfast for me. And, where would the fun be in that?”

“You’re late today,” Pacey said as he stacked piles of freshly washed dishes into neat columns.

“It was a great morning for a run,” Jack replied by way of explanation.

“Just couldn’t seem to stop yourself?”

“Got it in one.” Jack grinned.

“You know, some day you’re going to have a real job and I’m not going to know what to do without the pleasure of your company every morning. Unless, of course, you want your old job back. I can always use an experienced waiter.”

“Hey, man. School starts in just over a month, and the staff meetings weeks before. Neither of which, may I point out, start this early in the morning. So if you were planning on getting rid of me, you’re S.O.L.”

“Because nothing except for you and me starts this early in the morning, my friend,” Pacey replied, pulling a couple of plates out of one of the warming ovens and handing one of them to Jack. “Two eggs, over easy. Whole-wheat toast and fruit. Coffee’s on the table. Shall we?”

Jack nodded and grinned, following Pacey to a table at the very back of the restaurant, closest to the kitchen.

“Are you ever amazed that this is yours?” Jack asked, looking around the familiar room.

“Technically, I think it’s actually the bank’s,” Pacey replied and laughed when Jack rolled his eyes. “But, yeah. It’s… kinda nice to have something worthwhile to do with my time. Keeps me out of trouble.”

Jack raised his eyebrows and gave Pacey a look.

“Well. It helps. And, speaking of trouble… I still can’t believe you want to spend your time being a part-time parent to thirty children belonging to other people,” Pacey said as he poked at his eggs with his fork. “Didn’t you get enough of school while you were in it?”

Jack grinned. “You’d think. And, yet, once I grew up…” Jack grinned.

“And… Capeside?”

“My teaching gig in Manhattan was only ever going to be for a year. I knew that when I signed up. Gotta go where they’re willing to hire you, man.” Jack replied, flushing a little and hearing his voice speed up.

“Which people are usually only willing to do if you actually _apply_ to work for them. So, again, I ask you. Capeside?”

“You’ve been a bartender way too long, Mr. Freudian Psychobabble. What with all the reading deeper into a simple scenario in an attempt to get me to divulge the greatest mysteries of my life.”

“Hazards of the job.” Pacey grinned. “You’d be amazed at the depths of my acquired knowledge.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. You seem to be developing the knack for drawing the truth out of people. And, yet, I bet it’s not nearly as interesting a story as the one involving how you got that suspicious red mark on your neck.” Jack pointed to a hickey peeking out of the edge of Pacey’s collar with the back end of his fork. “What is it this time? Married? Divorced? Three husbands in two different states? Gay? Hooker? Oooh… gay hooker!”

Pacey smiled. “Fine. Uncle. I give.”

Jack grinned as he scraped the last of his eggs off of the plate with his fork. “Pace, seriously. Thanks for breakfast. Again.”

“Hey, it’s not so bad having you around again. And, really, if you want to be up this early, I can’t say I’m not glad for the company.”

Jack grinned. “You’re not so bad yourself. So, same bat time, same bat channel?”

Pacey nodded as he unlocked the front door of the restaurant. “And, try to be on time, tomorrow, huh?”

Jack laughed and waved at Pacey over his shoulder without turning around as he headed out the back door. Slipping his headphones into his ears, Jack missed the sound of the front door opening with the morning’s first customers as he stepped out onto the sidewalk.

\-- * -- * -- * -- * --

 **III.**

“Remind me again why it is it seemed like a good idea to get up and go running every morning?” Jack asked as he fell through the back door of the Ice House for the twelfth morning in as many days.

“Because clearly they don’t teach you anything useful at college. Like not to get up any earlier than you’re obligated to by forces of the universe outside of your control,” was Pacey’s helpful reply that came heard, but unseen, from the back pantry cupboard.

“Or maybe because some of us would like to not wine and dine ourselves into a heart attack at the age of 45 and live long enough to actually retire and enjoy it.”

Jack stumbled a little as the unexpected third voice surprised him. Looking up, Jack wiped some of the remaining evidence of his morning run off of his forehead with the back of his hand. “Doug, um. Hey.”

“Hello, Jack. My brother was just mentioning that we had the pleasure of your company in town these days.”

Awkwardly, Jack stuck out his hand to Doug who smiled and shook it happily. “Just can’t stay away, I guess.”

“I hadn’t heard that you were going to be back in town.”

“Rumour mill must have hit a rut, then.”

“Must be.” Doug smiled sympathetically.

“Or, they found someone else to concern themselves with. For a change. But, regardless, I’m just trying to enjoy the low profile while it lasts.” Jack paused. “Um… am I? Interrupting?” Jack fidgeted a little.

“Not at all,” Pacey replied, emerging from the pantry. “Deputy Doug was just leaving.”

Doug turned and narrowed his eyes at his brother in mock seriousness. “What was that?”

“Oh, right. Pardon me. _Sheriff_ Doug. My mistake. I’m sorry, your highness.”

Doug smacked Pacey across the back of his head. “It was great seeing you, Jack. And, when I get my brain back to the same time zone as the rest of you, I’d love to catch up like a real adult. If my brother ever manages to learn how to share.”

Jack smiled. “Absolutely.”

“Now, you. You’re standing around here, impinging on my precious customer-free time like you’re still on vacation and I don’t have a restaurant to run. Your azaleas and hydrangeas are just the way you left them. Sufficiently watered and, if you’d just go _home_ already, you’d see that all of your flyers and personal mail were put in separate piles on the kitchen table, just as requested.” Pacey rolled his eyes at Jack from behind his brother. “Go, run! Save Capeside from the evil loiterers and people who park on the wrong side of the street,” Pacey commanded, shoving his brother towards the front door.

Jack waved goodbye as he grabbed the plate of food that Pacey held out to him. “Hey thanks,” he said, watching Doug disappear around the corner and out the front door.

“Sheriff, huh?” Jack asked, setting his plate down at their usual table and picking up the mug of coffee that was waiting for him.

“Yup. Complete with the dorky hat, the fantasy-inducing uniform, and the handcuffs.”

Jack sputtered and spit coffee all over the floor in front of him.

Pacey laughed and clapped Jack on the back a few times until he stopped coughing.

“Admit it. You were thinking it.” Pacey said grinning. “He’s not seeing anyone, you know. Just… throwing that little tidbit of pronoun-free information out there, should it be of interest to you.”

Jack looked over at Pacey and raised his eyebrows.

“Hey man, I’ve been telling you for years that he’s as queer as the proverbial three dollar bill.”

”Just because you say it doesn’t make it true. Not even if you say it loudly. Over and over again.”

“And that thing I told you about Adella Germaine for three months straight when we were juniors?”

“Was an unfortunate coincidence that has led you to believe that you are more powerful than you actually are.” Jack nodded.

“Haven’t we had the discussion about my incredible powers of intuition and psychological prowess on a previous occasion?”

“We have. We’ve also had the conversation in which I told you that the last thing I needed in my life was a bunch of angry parents storming the school board that their precious child’s gay teacher was flaunting his lifestyle and damaging their delicate sensibilities. And, how I was more interested in keeping a low profile for the moment than any of the other extracurricular activities you might be implying I partake in.”

“See. Now, I’m fairly certain that he’d be awfully good at that low-profile part. I can’t speak for, nor do I even want to think about, my brother in regards to the rest of that sentence.”

Jack purposefully ignored Pacey’s comment and every implication it made as he dumped more milk into his coffee. “Yes. He’s so low profile that even _he_ hasn’t noticed that he’s attracted to men. Dude, you need to get yourself a hobby that doesn’t involve attempting to pawn your _straight_ as-far-as-everyone-other-than-you-is-concerned brother off on the only gay friend you have in Capeside.”

“What, are you saying my brother wouldn’t be a great catch?”

Jack’s jaw dropped in indignation. “That’s not what I….”

Pacey leaned back in his chair and smiled smugly. “I know.”

Jack sighed in defeat. “And, just for the record,” he began, without looking up. “I wasn’t the one that brought up the handcuffs.”

* -- * -- * -- * -- *

 **IV.**

“You know, I’m starting to feel like the gay underground railroad,” Pacey said as Jack flipped his eggs over in the frying pan and subsequently dropped the spatula onto the floor.

“The hell?”

“No, really. Think about it.” Pacey replied, pulling their toast out of the toaster and buttering it lightly.

“I’m thinking. And, frankly, trying to make any sense of what you just said is just going to give me a headache, so why don’t you just save the both of us a lot of pain and spell it out for me, since I’m obviously missing something.”

“Every morning, you go for that crazy-ass run of yours to keep that fine specimen of a body in top form and then you swing by here for breakfast.”

Jack just rolled his eyes at Pacey. “And?”

“And, every morning just after we sit down to eat, my brother comes in from his surprisingly similar morning run to get his breakfast,” Pacey continued, motioning to the bagel sitting on the counter.

“Also not news. But, it causes me slightly less pain to assume that you’re working up to making a point.” Jack poured himself an extra large cup of coffee.

“Well, not discounting the fact that it’s a little bit ridiculous that they two of you go running for an hour every morning and neither of you have the balls to suggest that it might be fun if you tried going together sometime.” Pacey looked at Jack with a pointed glance. “Maybe I should mention that to him. Not that he listens to me, anyway. But, yes. After you run your respective laps of Capeside, the three of us sit around, drinking coffee and eating breakfast until I have to get up and actually, you know, do _work_ , and the two of you continue to sit and eat and chat and flirt…”

Jack turned and made a face at Pacey who continued to speak, undaunted.

“And bond over a seemingly endless amount of crap that I hope to never have a full understanding of. And, then, just as I’m about to unlock the door and open for the day, the two of you get up and you head for the back door and my darling brother heads for the side alley before any of the natives come through the front door and catch all of the gay shenanigans that were going on under their very noses.”

“Shenanigans?” Jack replied, trying to hold back his laughter. Pacey had no idea how ridiculous he sounded.

“It’s a great word.”

“Inappropriate,” Jack countered.

“But, still great.” Pacey nodded enthusiastically.

“You’re never going to grow out of this, are you?”

“Whatever it is to which you are referring, the answer is most likely no. Especially if past behaviour is any indication.” Pacey placed the slices of toast on their plates as the familiar sound of the chime above the side alley door rang. He grinned over at Jack who made a point of ignoring him. Loudly.

“It’s a good thing you’re inexplicably charming and you like to feed me.”

“Everyone has their price. You, my friend, are exceedingly cheap.” Pacey laughed.

“Love you too, Pace.” Jack said, grabbing his plate and heading for their usual table.

“Hey, Douggie!” Pacey called to his brother, putting his plate down on the table in the seat next to Jack. “Welcome to the Ice House this fine morning. My name is Pacey Witter and I will be your engineer on this fair voyage.”

Jack looked over at Pacey and rolled his eyes.

“I don’t want to know, do I?” Doug asked, looking over at Pacey before his gaze settled on Jack.

Jack grinned at him. “You really, really don’t.”

As Pacey disappeared around a corner and back into the kitchen, Jack heard him make a noise that sounded suspiciously like a train whistle and Jack let his forehead fall to the table in front of him with a quiet thump.

“Pacey! It was a metaphorical railroad.”

\-- * -- * -- * -- * --

 **V.**

Somewhere from the Sudafed-induced haze in which he found himself, Jack heard a knock on the door and rolled himself ungracefully off the sofa and stumbled to the door.

Peeking through the peephole, he saw the familiar white paper bag with The Ice House logo on the side and smiled. He unlatched the deadbolt and pulled the door open as he turned and headed back across the living room of his apartment.

“Pace, you really didn’t have to. I’m sorry I cancelled on breakfast. I’m just… probably too stoned on over-the-counter decongestants and cough medication to even manage to get my shoes on the right feet. I didn’t even get out for my run this morning. Which really sucked because I haven’t missed a day since I’ve been back and I should have called your brother since he was probably thinking I stood him up or something. Though, he was probably glad to be without me dragging him down for at least one morning. He’s been really good about putting up with the fact that he’s in infinitely better shape than I am since that day you kinda forced him to let me tag along, did I ever mention that? And, I should have called him, but I don’t have his number which is really kind of ridiculous since we’ve been running together for almost 2 months now and going back to the restaurant for breakfast with you before he goes to work and I go home and get ready for school and we leave you to tend to the rest of Capeside’s hungry and demanding citizens. And, really, what are you even doing leaving the restaurant? It’s nearly the lunchtime rush and I’m sure I won’t starve to death before tomorrow.” Jack rambled as he flopped himself back onto the sofa, wrapped in a fluffy red blanket.

“Well, we wouldn’t want to chance it, would we?”

Jack’s eyes shot open as he looked at the person standing just inside the doorway. “You’re not Pacey.”

“You’d be surprised how rarely people make that mistake,” Doug said, a small smile on his face.

Jack struggled to push himself up so he was sitting with his back against one of the armrests of the sofa. “You. Um.” Jack paused. “Sorry about missing the run this morning.”

“It happens to the best of us. Pacey filled me in when I got to the restaurant for my daily BLT bagel and coffee.”

Jack smiled weakly as he wiped some of the blurriness from his eyes. “There’s something to be said for consistency.”

“Says Mr. Two Eggs Over Easy and Whole-Wheat Toast.”

“Don’t forget the fruit. Pardon the really bad drug-induced pun.”

“Considering yourself pardoned. Now, Mr. Whole-Wheat Toast. Settle for a substitute?”

Jack looked up at him, confusion on his face.

“Soup. If you haven’t had the restaurant’s chicken soup, it’s really to die for. Two ladles up. Just. Don’t tell Pacey. You know how he gets if you praise him too much.”

“You really didn’t have to…”

“I know that. However, it is my lunch break, so I have 60 minutes in which to perform any lunch-related activities I so choose.”

Tucking his legs up onto the sofa Jack smiled. “I guess chivalry isn’t completely dead, after all.”

Before he even began speaking, Jack’s brain started attempting to send his mouth a message that perhaps that wasn’t the best choice of words. Unfortunately, the message didn’t manage to reach Jack’s mouth until he’d finished the sentence.

Jack was fairly certain that the shade of scarlet he’d just felt himself turn couldn’t be blamed entirely on his illness. And, he was fairly certain that Doug wasn’t going to mistake it for such.

“I mean. I didn’t mean… I just. I.” Jack took a deep breath. “I think I’ll stop talking now.”

Doug walked over to the couch where Jack was seated and knelt down in front of the coffee table and began to pull containers and cutlery out of the paper bag he had been holding. “You know, I guess it isn’t.” He smiled nervously. “At least not completely.”

“I just. I didn’t mean to imply… I. It.” Jack trailed off.

“You were right the first time.” Doug peeled the lid off of the soup container. “I brought OJ and water. But, I’ll make you a cup of tea or grab you something else from your fridge, if you’d rather.”

Jack shook his head. “Water’s fine.”

Doug handed Jack the bottle he’d brought and arranged all of the other food and beverages on the table. “And, I brought you that book I was telling you about yesterday during our run. If you feel up to reading. Or, you can keep it until you’re feeling better.”

“Thank you for lunch. And the book. Seriously. You really didn’t have to.”

Doug smiled. “You said that already. Is there anything else I can get you?”

Jack shook his head and yawned so widely that his jaw cracked painfully.

Doug sighed. “Then, I should probably get going. I’m under pain of death if I’m late from lunch or call into work in the middle of a shift and tell them I’m not coming back for anything less serious than losing a major appendage. There’s a flow chart.” Doug nodded sagely, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I can get out for an entire hand or a thumb, but not for any of the other fingers. And, for a nose, but apparently not for an ear.”

Jack laughed softly which turned into a fit of coughing. “Sorry,” he said, making a face at himself when he was finished. “I don’t think I am sober enough to have properly enjoyed your company, but even in my debilitated state, I promise that I appreciated it.”

“I could stop by later. See if you need anything?”

“I can’t say that I won’t be glad for the company, but I can’t think of anything that I might need. But, if you _did_ want to stop by… you’ll know where I’ll be. Me and all of my germs.”

Doug pushed himself up off the floor and brushed his knees. Jack pushed himself up off the sofa still wrapped in the blanket and shuffled behind Doug, walking him to the door.

“Did I say thank you?”

“Only about the same number of times that you told me I didn’t have to bring you lunch.”

Jack flushed. “Still true. Both sentiments.”

“See you later?” Doug’s voice was suddenly quieter. Jack rubbed at his ears.

Jack nodded and took a step back into his apartment. He was looking down to make sure that he didn’t trip on his blanket and when he looked up, his breath caught when Doug’s face was only a few inches from his own. Suddenly, Doug leaned forward and kissed him softly, closed-lipped on the mouth and just as quickly and smoothly, he stepped backwards, looking Jack in the eye.

“If I don’t answer right away, knock loudly. I’m here, just probably sleeping.” Jack said softly.

“You sure?” Doug asked as he stepped backwards into the hall.

Jack nodded and smiled as he slowly began to push the door closed. “Trust me. I’ll want to be awake for this.”

\-- * -- * -- * -- * --

 **VI.**

Jack groaned a little as he reached across the bed and smacked his alarm until he hit the snooze button. With a small noise of discontentment, he attempted to burrow himself back into the blankets.

As he settled back, he felt a pair of arms tighten around his waist. Without moving or opening his eyes, Jack smiled nervously. “’Morning.”

“A **good** morning, even,” Doug’s voice replied, his breath tickling the back of Jack’s neck. “Even if your alarm is the most obnoxious noise I’ve ever heard.”

Smiling a little less nervously, Jack rolled over, moving as little as he could. When he had settled, he smiled over at Doug who kissed him gently on the mouth. “You’re going to have to wear something with long sleeves today,” Jack said.

“Hmmm?”

Jack lightly swiped his fingers across a faint reddish mark along the inside of Doug’s right wrist. “Or, at least, a watch. Particularly if you plan on running into your brother at any point today and wish to avoid a lifetime of handcuff jokes.”

“We didn’t—”

“I know that. You know that. And, really, I’m not sure your brother’ll believe either of us. He seems to have a handcuff fixation that I have really no desire to question him further about.”

Doug smiled. “And, yourself?”

“Well, we’ll find out I guess, huh?”

“You know, if we’d done this a while ago, I might know the answer to that by now,” Doug replied with a grin.

“Not my fault.” Jack smiled smugly. “And, you might have had a chance to get used to my alarm clock if you hadn’t been so hard to woo.” Jack asked, poking Doug lightly in the chest. “It’s not like you didn’t have plenty of opportunity to drop a hint or twelve in the last four months that I’ve been back in town.

“Hey, if you want to get technical, what exactly what would you call me kissing you that day?” Doug asked, kissing the bridge of Jack’s nose.

Jack wrinkled his nose. “Okay, so that was a sign.” Jack smiled. “Still. Took you long enough.”

“Guess I’ll just have to try to make up for that then,” Doug wiggled his eyebrows mischievously, tipped his head down and kissed Jack lightly.

Smiling against his lips, Jack kissed Doug back happily and nestled closer to his chest and burrowed into the blankets.

Jack cursed under his breath as his alarm began buzzing again most inconveniently.

“Do you really think either of us are going to live it down if at least one of us doesn’t make it to the restaurant for breakfast this morning?” Doug asked, his lips pressed against Jack’s forehead as he reached over Jack to silence the alarm.

“Grab a shower,” Jack said. “I’ll go without until I get back from breakfast.”

“You sure?” Doug asked

Jack nodded. “That way I get to sleep some more.”

Doug grinned. “You could always join me. Save time. Two for one.”

Jack smiled as he burrowed his head further into the pillow. “I think you’re severely underestimating my abilities or overestimating my manners.”

Doug smiled and pushed himself up. He leaned forward and kissed Jack lightly on the mouth before rolling out of bed and feeling around on the floor for his clothes. “Never.”

Waving a hand in the vague direction of the bathroom, Jack mumbled, “Towels in the cupboard next to the shower.”

As his eyes were fluttering closed, Jack caught a glimpse of Doug walking bare-assed and bleary-eyed towards the bathroom and smiled. Stretching his arms above his head and feeling the dull ache of muscles that hadn’t been used for far longer than his ego wanted him to admit to, Jack smiled as he rolled over onto his stomach and buried his face in his pillows.

\-- * -- * -- * -- * --

 **VII.**

The late autumn wind was cold and blowing hard. It was soon going to be too cold to get up in the mornings and run outside at all, let alone along the shore. Jack wasn’t particularly looking forward to that day.

When he reached the place he usually ended his morning run, Jack flopped down in the sand and propped his head up on his elbow.

Bending at the waist and stretching forward, Doug looked back at Jack – upside down between his legs. Jack just smiled at waved.

Doug let out a small laugh, stood up and turned to face Jack.

“Were you checking out my ass?” Doug asked with a laugh.

“Ummm….” Jack grinned.

“That’s why you’re always lagging behind me when we run?” Doug asked.

“Not initially, no. That was all my own natural athletic inability. The spectacular view of your ass was, however, an added bonus.”

“And now?”

“I seem to have found of some the shape I was in when I used to do something other than sit on my ass and go to class. Apparently there are parts of my body that are starting to remember that I used to be a football player a million years ago. Your ass continues to be a bonus, for the record.”

Doug held out his hand to Jack and hauled him to his feet. “Breakfast?”

“Of course.” Jake replied, dusting sand off of his track pants.

Doug dropped Jack’s hand, shoved both of his hands into his pockets, and studied the ground intently as they walked side by side towards The Ice House.

Kicking some of the sand out from under him with each step, Jack took a deep breath and began to speak, slowly and quietly, but deliberately.

“I don’t want you to get yourself too far into a situation that you’re not comfortable with. I’ve been unbelievably lucky so far, but you know that some day someone’s going to be upset with something I do and they’re going remind everyone that there’s a gay man teaching their kids and it might get ugly and mean. And if you don’t want to chance being a part of that, I can’t make you. And, I don’t want to make you. Even if I want you to be.” Slowly, Jack looked over at Doug, who was looking back at him, waiting for him to finish speaking.

“Capeside isn’t kind. And, I can’t think of anyone who knows more about that than you do.”

With a small sigh, Jack stopped walking. “They learn. Mostly. If you give them time.”

Nudging Jack a little with his shoulder to keep him moving, Doug just walked silently for a moment. It was only because Jack was listening intently, desperately hoping that Doug had something else to say, that he even heard him speak.

“You could have had anyone in the city. Any life.”

“Yes. I could have. And, I did. In Boston, in Soho. I could have also picked one of countless other cities.”

“And?”

“I like the ocean.”

“And?”

Jack shrugged. “The devil you know?” He paused. “I’m still working it out. I’ll let you know if I manage to have a breakthrough.”

Jack stopped outside the restaurant and leaned against the back wall, facing Doug.

“You know, I don’t need you to tell the world, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m not stupid. I did this whole thing once myself, remember?”

“You told the world.” Doug said simply.

Jack nodded. “And you can’t possibly think that from the way that everything went down that my way was the right way of going about figuring out who you are and letting everyone else know it, too.”

Doug’s mouth opened like he was going to say something, and Jack silenced him by placing his fingers over Doug’s lips.

“It was the way it had to be for me. But, there’s no right way or wrong way to live your life, Doug.” Jack smiled. “Okay, so maybe I shouldn’t be saying that to a police officer, but you know what I mean. You can wait on that whole ‘shouting from the rooftops’ thing until you’re ready. I don’t even need you to tell Pacey, though he’s been telling you since before I met either of you. You do, however, need to tell yourself. Then, I need you to tell me. Everyone and everything else is on a need to know basis. And, right now, I can’t think of anyone else who needs to know anything. If they do, they’ll follow in time.”

“When did you become the older and wiser one?” Doug asked, leaning against the wall, pressing his shoulder against Jack.

“I had a head start.” Jack smiled. “You’re a quick learner. I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to play catch up.”

“You’ll help me out if I need it?” Doug asked, scanning his eyes along the deserted shoreline.

“Of course.”

Doug turned himself so he was facing Jack and reached up and lightly stroked Jack’s cheek with his fingertips.

“Dinner tonight? My place?”

Jack smiled. “Love to.”

Doug smiled back at him and leaned forward and kissed him slowly and deliberately. Jack grinned back against his lips and kissed him back.

Pulling back, Doug reached out and took Jack’s hand, lacing their fingers together.

Giving Doug’s hand a slight squeeze, Jack pushed the back door to The Ice House open a crack and stuck his head in, Doug gripping his fingers tightly. “Hey Pace. What’s for breakfast?”

* * *

End.

* * *

 

Also, there is a deleted scene. Don't ask. It goes between scenes V and VI.

Somehow, Pacey just ran away with me a little for a story that wasn't really about him.

Deleted Scene:

“I never thought I’d see the day,” Pacey said as Jack swung the door to his apartment wide open.

“And you’re here because?” Jack asked, smiling and stepping back from the doorway to let Pacey in.

“I have to make sure that you’re worthy of taking my brother on a date.”

Jack rolled his eyes as he pulled a shirt over his head. “Pacey. He’s your older brother. You’ve known me for, what, 8 years now? And, not insignificantly, this isn’t a date.”

“You’re going out with him.”

“I never said that.”

“No, you didn’t. But, you bailed on poker tonight because you had, and I quote, “Plans”.” Pacey replied, making the quotes in the air with his fingers.

“Which I do.”

“But, you haven’t had plans on a Friday night since you’ve been here. So, naturally, my curiosity was peaked and I pondered hard and racked my brain and did a little research.”

“Pardon?”

“Well, I called Douggie to invite him to poker since you weren’t going to be there, and wouldn’t you know… he also had “plans.””

Jack pocketed his wallet and looked at Pacey. “We’re going to a movie.”

Pacey nodded.

“Not unlike how you and I went to the movies the week before last.”

“Yes. Where we went to watch monsters beat the shit out of each other at the local theatre on cheap night. You and my brother are driving nearly an hour to go see a movie with subtitles.”

“All stereotyping aside, have I mentioned lately that you need to get your own life?”

Pacey pretended to ponder this. “Once or twice.”

“And, might I suggest you begin doing so as soon as possible?” Jack replied, ushering Pacey towards the door.

When he was confident that he had safely ushered the pain in his ass out of his apartment; Jack settled back onto the sofa and concentrated on the football game and purposefully kept his eye off the clock.

\--


End file.
